The Twentieth Century Volume . 39 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1896 Excerpt: ...Why then should the history of his own contests for the cause of the Catholic Church in England be suppressed? Catholics are not a bit worse than their neighbours; are no greater intriguers in their diplomacy than their fellow-men, lay or ecclesiastic. In no state in Europe, in no republic, in no court save the Court of Queen Victoria, do diplomatic arts and wiles--call them if you will intrigues--not flourish, like weeds in a congenial soil. VVhat would, indeed, have given far greater scandal than the nonsuppression of Cardinal Manning's diaries and letters would have been their suppression. What would really have injured the Catholic cause in England; what would have lowered the reputation of Catholics for truthfulness and straightforwardness; what would, indeed, have given scandal to Protestants and have stopped, perhaps, conversions, is---not what are called by the advocates of suppression ' the intrigues at the Vatican, ' but the falsification of history---the history of Cardinal Manning's ' Life.' If there are awkward or ugly facts in the history of the Church, or in the lives of men and even of popes, the honest policy, recently laid down by Pope Leo the Thirteenth--not as a counsel of perfection but as a common every-day duty----is, ' Publish the truth and the whole truth, ' no matter even if the reputation of a Pope sufiers thereby. But such a publication, perchance, elsewhere, at any rate for the moment, may be looked upon as ' almost a-crime.' The English mind instinctively revolts against all such subter fuges as seem to indicate unfair play in any form, open or latent. Englishmen prefer the straightforward advice given by Pope Leo the Thirteenth in substance, if not in so many words: &#8...